1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to medical procedures and instruments and, more particularly, to a medical instrument that prevents probes from applying excessive force to anatomical tissue structures by retracting or protruding the probes.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
In medical procedures, anatomical tissue structures are often contacted by medical personnel using medical probes specifically designed to push against or to pull the anatomical tissue structures. In many cases, however, there is a need to prevent the medical personnel from applying too much force to the anatomical tissue structures which can be damaged as a result of being pushed or pulled with excessive force. In the case of endoscopic procedures in particular, the problem is aggravated by the length of endoscopic instruments which can result in reduced "touching feel" for the surgeon.